Topic: [Standard|Opinion] GW Enchant/Aggro on a Budget
I've been playing MTG since Torment (Grave Danger was my first deck), but I've only recently decided to take a stab at standard. So I riffled through my boxes, found about 90 nifty bits and started culling. Before I throw down the (miles from optimal) list I've got right now, here's what I'm trying to accomplish.
1) Standard legal post rotation. This means I need to minimize my dependence on cards from the RTR block.
2) Future proof. I want to play to the strengths of my colors without relying too much on block-specific mechanics. At the end of Theros, I'd like to be able to re-tool without totally blowing the deck up and starting over.
3) Maximum $20 investment per new set.
Here's the list as of right now, plus a few thoughts.
Critters
4x Lagonna-Band Trailblazer - Solid body for a one drop, Heroic is sometimes nice.
2x Akroan Skyguard - Two drop with evasion, reasonable target for buffs.
3x Leafcrown Dryad - Okay body to have on the board, may be due for an upgrade. Bestow makes it my pick over Bassara Tower Archer.
4x Voyaging Satyr - In playtesting so far, hasn't been all that useful. I have won a few games by suiting him up when my other creatures were AWOL, though.
1x Eidolon of Countless Battles - Want more of these. Competition at the three spot (in my mind) is Boon Satyr and Fabled Hero
2x Scab-Clan Charger - Needs an upgrade, but my inventory is somewhat lacking at the four spot.
2x Nessian Asp - Handles fliers, but feels a bit pricey for what it does. I might be better served by a few Griffin Dreamfinders here.
2x Nemesis of Mortals - Big Bad. Gets cheaper as the fodder dies off, but doesn't quite play as well in GW as he does in GB.
Enchantments
3x Ethereal Armor - The Catalyst. Plays well with Eidolon, but is on its way out.
4x Nylea's Presence - Blatant use of Aura because it's an Aura. As mana fixing goes, it hasn't helped me at all. The draw almost makes this bearable. Almost.
2x Pacifism - May even be a four-in. Counts for both Armor and Eidolon while dealing with something pesky across the board.
3x Feral Invocation - +2/+2 that boosts Armor and Eidolon at instant speed? I like this card.
Other Spells
2x Naturalize - Only maindecked at the moment because I've been playing a lot of nasty artifact decks. I'm not entirely sure what I'd swap it for. Pacifism?
4x Commune with the Gods - In games thus far, this has actually been pretty useful. Helps me dig for Nemesis while lowering his costs or lets me snag enchantments.
Lands
12x Forest
6x Plains
4x Selesnya Guildgate - On their way out, but I don't have any Temple of Plenty
I'll be tinkering with the mana base for some time to come. As it sits, my curve is skewed left (28 cards CMC 2 or lower), thus the 22 lands. I am more than willing to swap some twos for threes and fours.
So there it is. An attempt at a Standard deck using what I had at my disposal. I'd like to upgrade using Theros block and (though I haven't really perused the spoilers) M15. My local meta doesn't see many people maindecking enchantment hate, so I'd like to keep the enchant/aggro element intact. To that end, I suppose I'll be wanting Hero of Iroas, Boon Satyr, Eidolon of Countless Battles, and possibly Fabled Hero.
I want to be creative with my sideboard. If possible, being able to sub in an extra win con in game two to subvert the inevitable splash of enchantment hate would be great. I am also on the lookout for more options to tie up opposing creatures. I know Chained to the Rocks is popular, but I'm not running any red as it stands. What do y'all think of Oppressive Rays?
I am open to all suggestions, but my budget is $20. That means Courser of Kruphix and Temple of Plenty are probably out. I appreciate your input in advance, and apologize for the long post. I'm a fan of putting it all on the table, as it were...
TL;DR - I built a GW deck. It is less than ideal. I am looking for suggestions as to how to improve it on a $20 budget.